Neatj



(No Model.)

S J. A. GARNEAU.

HORSESHOE.

Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

Fl G213.-

IN'VENTORI By M Attorney.

WITNESSES I O/bbcaiw UNITED STATES ATENT nines.

JOSEPH ADOLPHE GARNEAU, OF QUEBEC, CANADA.

HORSESHQE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,616, dated November30, 1897.

I Application filed December 8, 1896. Serial No. 614,892. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ADOLPHE GAR- NEAU, physician and surgeon, asubject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at St. Rochs, Quebec, inthe district and Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, haveinvented certain Improvements in Horseshoes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to rigid or solid horseshoes of either iron orsteel; and the object is to provide a shoe which will give a firm andproper support for all parts of the horses foot and yet avoid theweakening of the shoe and injury to the frog of the foot from jarsproduced by the striking of the heels on a hard surface. The ordinaryrigid or uncut horseshoe by failing to supply a proper firm support forthe frog of the foot brings about a difiiculty which will be readilycomprehended by medical men. The frog not being kept in constantexercise tends to atrophy and fails to perform its proper functions as apart of the foot. Hence the foot suffers a distinct injury. By myinvention I provide a firm support for the frog and give to it theconstant exercise it would get if the horse were unshod.

In carrying out my invention I employ a solid, rigid, or uncut horseshoewhich may be of the usual kind and form, and between the side bars ofthe shoe I fix in an integral manner a solid supporting-plate for thefrog of the foot, this plate being a little thinner than the shoe, sothat on a smooth level surface it will not rest in contact with saidsurface. This plate is of a heart shape, with the apex directed towardthe front or toe of the shoe, and it is connected at its sides with therespective side bars of the shoe by curved arms or lateral ties whichextend forward obliquely, soas to join the said side bars at aconsiderable distance from the heels of the shoe, thereby avoiding theimpact from jars caused by the blows struck by the heels on a hardsurface.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of my shoe,Figure 1 is an under side plan View of the shoe. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same in the plane indicated by the line a; ain Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane indicated by line00 m in Fig. 1.

A is a horseshoe of iron or steel bent to the usual form and solid oruncut, and B is-a fro -supporting plate situated between the side bars aa of the shoe and in front of the heels a 6&2 thereof. This plate isconnected integrally to the side bars of the shoe by ties C C, one ateach side, which extend obliquely forward in a curve and merge into thecurve of the shoe A.

The plate B is heart-shaped, its apex b being directed toward the toe ofthe shoe and its broader portion 1) toward the heel. On a horseshoe ofthe ordinary size the plate B should be about two and one-half incheslong and about two incheswide at its widest part. The rear end 19 of theplate should be about one and one-quarter inches forward of the extremeends of the heels of the shoe. In Fig. 1 I have represented a shoe forthe right foot of the horse, (seen from the under side,) and in thisshoe the apex or front portion of the plate B inclines a little to theright. In a shoe for the left foot the inclination will be in theopposite direction, as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thisarrangement of the plate will bring it more accurately under the frog tobe supported.

The shoe A should be a stiif or rigid curved piece of metal not lessthan one-fourth of an inch thick and three-fourths of an inch Wide, andit will eventually be provided in the usual way with creases andnail-holes. (Not shown.) It may also, for certain uses, have toe andheel calks. The shoe will be beveled down at its inner edge on the underside or face to the thickness of the plate B and ties C C, whichwill besomewhat thinner than the shoe, but flush with the latter at their upperfaces. The ties C branch from the respective sides of the plate B atitsrear end, the rear edges of the ties forming in reality continuations ofthe said rear end and then extend obliquely forward, merging at theirfront edges into the inner chamfered edges of the side bars of the shoe.The rear edges of the ties join the side bars at about two inches fromthe extreme ends of the heels of the shoe. The ties are about one inchwide. This construction gives to the frog a firm and solid support andat the same time allows a sufficient length of the heel portion of theside bars back of the ties C free to absorb the effects of jars from theblows of the heels on a hard surface and to prevent such jars from beingtransmitted to the supporting-plate B.

The plate B and ties C C may be made in one piece and be welded to ashoe already formed,or the whole may be formed integrally primarily. Theapex b of the plate B will be ehamfered or beveled as shown, to thin andlighten it.

I have given dimensions in the above description in order that the makerof the shoe may proceed without experiment; but these dimensions may ofcourse be departed from to some extent.

I do not broadly claim a horseshoe with a bridge-piece across it toprotect the frog or for tying the heels of the shoe together, as this isnot broadly new; but

\Vhat I do claim is A solid uncut horseshoe A, having a frogsupportingplate B, of a heart shape situated between the side bars of the shoewith its apex directed toward the toe of the shoe, said plate beingconnected integrally with the shoe by obliquely-arranged lateral ties atpoints forward of the heels of the shoe, and having its apex inclinedtoward one side of the longitudinal axis of the shoe, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH ADOLPIIE GARNEAU.

lVitnesses:

CAMILLE GUAY, OSCAR O. MoUIR.

